BJP scared of AAP, announcing sops in Himachal — Kejriwal

Dharamsala (HP), April 23 (PTI): Taking a jibe at Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur for announcing 125 units of free electricity, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday said his Himachal Pradesh counterpart was forced to make the offer as he was scared of the AAP.

In his 20-minute speech at Chambi near Dharamsala, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener also said he had been informed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi wanted to advance the Assembly elections in Himachal Pradesh scheduled to be held in December but his party was ready and upbeat about winning it.

Thakur recently announced that his government will provide 125 units of electricity free to Himachalis. After this, he got snubbed by PM Modi, who instructed him not to repeat such offers, Kejriwal said addressing the public at Chambi Maidan in Shahpur Assembly constituency here.

If the BJP is really serious about providing such relief to the public, then they should make such announcements in other BJP-ruled states such as Haryana, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat, the Delhi chief minister added.

Presiding over the 75th state level Himachal Day function at Chowgan in Chamba recently, Thakur had also announced a 50 per cent relaxation in fare in HRTC buses for women and no water bill in rural areas, in addition to free power to all up to 125 units.

This was Kejriwal’s second visit to the state in a month. He had earlier visited Mandi, Thakur’s home district.

He also slammed the state government for poor condition of government schools and asked the people to visit schools in the national capital.

I invite the public, along with CM Jai Ram Thakur, to visit government schools in Delhi. We have improved the schools so much in the past five years that the board results of government schools was 99.7 per cent this year. And seeing this improvement, 4 lakh children have shifted from private schools to government schools this year. We have also restricted private schools from raising fees for the past seven years, he said.

Urging the people to vote for the AAP, Kejriwal said his government had also improved the condition of government hospitals and that free medical facilities were being provided to everybody .

If you wish such facilities and an honest government in HP too, vote for the Aam Aadmi Party, he said.

The Congress ruled Himachal for 30 years and BJP for 17 years. I request the public to give just five years to the Aam Aadmi Party. After that, we will not come to ask for votes, people will vote only for our development works, he added.